Grief in Every Language: Hands-On Tools for Reaching the Whole Child

Grief In Every Language: Hands-On Tools To Reach The Whole Child

Dates: September 24 + 25, 2025

Venue/City: St. Lukes Hospital, Boise and Twin Falls, Idaho

Audience: Grief Professionals, Social Workers, Educators, School Counselors, University Students, High School Students, Child Life Specialists

Boy, did we have fun! There’s something uniquely powerful about gathering in community — especially when that community is made up of fellow helpers, healers, and hearts who care deeply for grieving children and families.

At this year’s 11th Annual Bereavement Conference hosted by Because Kids Grieve, we had the joy and honor of leading "Grief in Every Language: Hands-On Tools for Reaching the Whole Child." Rooted in story, art, and relationship, this training explored how to recognize and respond to the many layers of a grieving child — emotionally, cognitively, socially, spiritually, and physically.

But we didn’t just talk about child development — we experienced it.

Through laughter, play, creative expression, and meaningful connection, attendees were invited to re-engage their own sense of wonder and curiosity. Essentially, be a kid again! Just as grief is layered and dynamic, so are the children we support. Our approach embraced the whole child — and the whole adult, too — through art-based activities, story-sharing, and accessible tools that can be brought back to grief groups, classrooms, family services, hospital rooms, and camps.

This wasn't just a training — it was a collective remembering: that healing can begin with a story, a drawing, a shared moment of imagination. And that we’re never meant to do this work alone.

We’re so grateful to Because Kids Grieve for inviting us and hosting this beautiful gathering of community helpers. We left with full hearts, new ideas, and so much inspiration from all those we had the privilege to learn and play alongside.

Tune in for more reflections, tools, and photos from our time together (below and on IG).

Because yes — grief training can be fun! And it’s even better when we do it in community.

→ If you’re interested in bringing this type of training to your workplace or community, let us know! Email Rebecca [add the hyperlink in Squarespace to email Rebecca] or drop a message on our Connect page. We would love to hear from you.